One America News Demands Retraction of Vanity Fair Story That Trump Jr.-Linked Group Invested in Network

Gabriel Sherman’s May 4 story included information about the young conservative network launched in 2013 and reported that President Donald Trump and members of his administration have come to value it

A Thursday letter from One America News Network demanding a retraction from Vanity Fair is the latest in OAN’s days-long campaign to refute the magazine’s reporting that a group affiliated with Donald Trump Jr. is buying a “major stake” in the far-right cable network.

It reads, in part, “Herring Networks, Inc., owner and operator of One America News Network (“OAN”) demands a retraction of your false, malicious, and defamatory statements written by you and published by Vanity Fair on May 4, 2020 concerning OAN.”

“You falsely claimed–without a shred of reliable evidence–that ‘…an investor group aligned with his [The President of the United States, no less!] son Don Jr. and the Dallas-based Hicks family has acquired a major stake in One America News Network’. You further make the false and misleading claim, ‘It’s unclear whether Don Jr. invested Trump family funds in the deal or was given equity,'” the letter went on. “The facts are undisputable [sic] and in direct conflict with your false and defamatory statements. Herring Networks, Inc. has not sold ANY stake in One America News Network or its Company to anyone or any entity, period.”

A representative for Vanity Fair told TheWrap the story was updated with Herring’s denial from the letter. They said he didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time and the piece’s update mentioned it was made after initial publication.

Sherman’s May 4 story included information about the young conservative network launched in 2013 and reported that President Donald Trump and members of his administration have come to value it and view it as a friendlier outlet than cable news behemoth Fox News. Trump has repeatedly praised OAN in recent months and the network, though small, has found some footing through headline-making correspondent Chanel Rion, who cites conspiracy theories and asks Trump-friendly questions during press briefings.

Herring’s denials of the reporting came in various forms throughout the week. The Times of San Diego reported that Herring told the paper Tuesday, “So far we know nothing about Trump Junior buying our Company. We have had several people who want to buy, including some locals, but we are not anxious to sell.”

TheWrap has reached out to OAN for comment.

All the Broadway Shows Killed (and Postponed) Due to Coronavirus Shutdown

When New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo closed Broadway theaters on March 12 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the New York theater scene was heating up ahead of the Tony Awards -- with 31 shows playing and another eight scheduled to begin performances by mid-April. Now the theaters will remain dark until at least September -- and the Tony Awards have been postponed indefinitely. But the uncertainty of when theaters (and Broadway-bound tourists) might return has forced some producers to close shows early -- or push new productions to sometime in the future.

Closed: "Hangmen"

Martin McDonagh’s new comedy, starring Dan Stevens ("Downton Abbey") and Mark Addy ("Game of Thrones"), announced March 20 it would not reopen after playing 13 preview performances ahead of an expected March 19 official opening.

Closed: "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

The revival of Edward Albee's classic drama, starring Laurie Metcalf and Rupert Everett, had played just nine preview performances before Broadway went dark. With the scheduled April 9 official opening off the table, producers decided to close the show on March 21.

Postponed: "Flying Over Sunset"

The new musical by composer Tom Kitt ("Next to Normal," pictured), lyricist Michael Korie ("Grey Gardens") and book writer James Lapine ("Into the Woods") was scheduled to begin performances on March 12 ahead of an official April 16 opening. On March 24 the Lincoln Center Theater announced the show's opening would be pushed to the fall.

Postponed: "Birthday Candles"

Noah Haidle's play, starring Debra Messing and Andre Braugher, was due to begin performances in early April. But on March 25, Roundabout Theatre Company announced it would open this fall instead.

Postponed: "Caroline, or Change"

Roundabout also delayed the opening of its revival of the Jeanine Tesori-Tony Kushner musical "Caroline, or Change," starring Sharon D. Clarke in an Olivier Award-winning performance. The show had been set for an April 7 opening at Studio 54.

Postponed: "How I Learned to Drive"

Manhattan Theatre Club announced on April 7 it was postponing a Mary-Louise Parker-led revival of "How I Learned to Drive" to the 2020-21 season. The Pulitzer-winning drama, with David Morse as co-star, was due to open April 22, just before the cutoff for this year's Tony Awards.

Closed: "Beetlejuice"

The Tony-nominated musical was being evicted from the Winter Garden Theatre on June 6 (even though ticket sales had dramatically improved over the fall and winter). Now producers are hoping to find a new theater when Broadway opens up, though there's no guarantee that will happen. The adaptation of Tim Burton's 1988 movie played played 27 previews and 366 regular performances.

Postponed: "Plaza Suite"

A new revival of Neil Simon's comedy starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick will now play March 19, 2021 through July 18, 2021. The show had been expected to begin previews at the Hudson Theater on March 13, the day after theaters were shut down.

Postponed: "MJ"

The new Michael Jackson musical, starring Tony nominee Ephraim Sykes as the late King of Pop, had been planning to begin performances in July for an August opening. But now it's pushed back its debut to next spring, with a new opening night set for April 15, 2021.

Closed: "Frozen"

Disney's stage version of the animated hit "Frozen" became the first long-running show to close due to the pandemic. The Tony-nominated show opened in March 2018 and played 825 performances and 26 previews.

Postponed: The Tony Awards

Since there's no word yet on when Broadway performances might resume, the Broadway League on March 25 indefinitely postponed this year's Tony Awards, which had been scheduled for June 7 at Radio City Music Hall.

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Disney’s “Frozen” is the latest affected

When New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo closed Broadway theaters on March 12 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the New York theater scene was heating up ahead of the Tony Awards -- with 31 shows playing and another eight scheduled to begin performances by mid-April. Now the theaters will remain dark until at least September -- and the Tony Awards have been postponed indefinitely. But the uncertainty of when theaters (and Broadway-bound tourists) might return has forced some producers to close shows early -- or push new productions to sometime in the future.